Walking Around Lake Nokomis

On Saturday afternoon I did a 6K volksmarch around Lake Nokomis. Lake Nokomis is one of three within the city of Minneapolis on which it is possible to sail a boat. There are also two free swimming beaches. The Lake Nokomis park has 405 acres with half of that being water. This lake was originally name Lake Amelia when European settlers arrived. In 1910 it was renamed Lake Nokomis after the grandmother in Longfellow's poem, The Song of Hiawatha.

The walk began at a Caribou Cafe. From there I walked along Minnehaha Creek until 22nd Avenue where I found the E. Lake Nokomis Trail. The trail went under large trees much of the time -- and thank heavens, because the day was a bit warm. (In fact because the unusually warm weather we are having right now, the Minneapolis Park Board is leaving all the pools open through the weekend of September 9, whereas they usually close this weekend.)

Here's a view of the lake.

The walk continued across Cedar Avenue to West Nokomis Parkway where I walked around the lagoon. Then I crossed back again to the south side of the lake and was delighted to find an Art Walk.

The first piece I found is called Recyled Deer.

 The artist is Albert Belleveau. He made this sculpture from motocycle gas tanks as well as car and bike parks.

Down the trail I found this.

It is obviously a painted log. Its name is Tardigrade and Whirling Euglena. I was stumped until I read the explanatory sign and learned these are names of colorful aquatic plants important in the habitat of Lake Nokomis. The artists, Christopher Sutton and Sreekeshen Nair, explain they do their sculptures with recycled materials including recycled paint.

I found a couple of empty pedestals for all of these pieces of art are for sale. The last I found is called Baying at the Moon; the artist is Deb Zeller.

A bit later I found an area that is called a Monarch Butterfly Waystation

And within about another 15 minutes of walking I was around the lake and back at the start point. A very pleasant walk that I will repeat again.